The Lindsay Park team made an astute purchase from the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale last year paying $140,000 for All Too Hard gelding Hard Kick, who produced a brilliant debut victory at Flemington on Saturday in the Listed VRC Talindert Stakes (1100m).
A three time winner in 800m barrier trials, Hard Kick had shown plenty of talent to inspire market confidence and he proved the ultimate professional with Damian Lane in the saddle.
A tad busy in the pre-race parade, Hard Kick knew what was required and when he got to the gates was quick to focus on the task at hand.
He travelled smoothly on the pace throughout and when asked to quicken dropped his rivals cold with race favourite Zambales leading the also rans some three lengths back ahead of Diameter, with both place-getters carrying the Godolphin blue.
Hard Kick was keen to keep going and took some pulling up by Damian Lane.
“Once the other horses got near him again, he wanted to race them. He’s just a natural competitor and he took a little bit of slowing down after line,” said Lane.
“He's a good horse. Been impressive at the jump out, but you're never, obviously, 100% sure going up to 1100m off the back of 800m jumpouts.
“He did give you every feel he was going to be better past 800 meters and that’s what he's done today. He just went to another level.”
JD Hayes did not rule out the possibility of backing Hard Kick up in next week’s Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes after his impressive win in the Talindert, which was also the first stakes win for champion filly Miss Finland, who died earlier this week at age 22.
Miss Finland was trained by David Hayes and ran second in the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes at her next start before winning the Golden Slipper.
“He was bought in Sydney at Inglis Ready 2 Race and Dad was actually representing the company there, and he purchased him for connections. What a thrill!,” said JD Hayes.
“He's been very well educated at home and we thought he was pretty good and he won with authority there. I'm not sure if he's as good as Miss Finland, but he looked pretty good there.
“We'll keep the option open in a week's time (Blue Diamond), see how he pulls up, because he did win with his head on his chest there. There are plenty of options going ahead with this horse. It's very exciting.”
Hard Kick was bred by Macquarie Stud and after passing in as a weanling was sent across to Adelaide Magic Millions in the Middlebrook Valley Lodge draft where he was picked up by Avesta Bloodstock for $30,000.
Re-offered at the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale in the Hannover Lodge draft, he sizzled in his pre-sale breeze clocking 10.10 seconds and was purchased by Lindsay Park for $140,000.
Hard Kick is the second winner from Exceed and Excel mare Friendly Donna, who comes from the family of Group winners Burning Sands and Skoozi Please.
Hard Kick is the 32nd stakes-winner for Vinery Stud’s All Too Hard, a perennial favourite that covered 154 mares last spring.
